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Every word Mikel Arteta said on Bukayo Saka injury, Jesus form and attacking Palace display

**How’s Saka?**

He felt something in his hamstring. He couldn’t continue. He will have to be assessed. Pretty worried about that one.

**Any early estimate?**

It’s difficult to do that now. They have tested him inside but very difficult to say how bad it is.

**How much of a shame is that after bringing back Rice and Calafiori?**

And Raheem as well. We lost Raheem yesterday and we don’t know for how long. To lose two players in 24 hours is not good. Unfortunately with the amount of games that we are playing and with this schedule it doesn’t surprise me. But the team will react to that.

**How good a week is that for Gabriel Jesus?**

That’s the beauty of football. Things change. I think he scored the same amount in three days as in 45 appearances and he could have scored a hat-trick again. Great credit to him because he’s put so much work and belief in to what he does. He was patient and he got rewarded.

**What’s the difference between 0-0 last week \[against Everton\] and 5-1 this week?**

That we were clinical today. I think in many things we were better the other day but this is football. We were so clinical today, we were so good at scoring in different phases like we want to do and we didn’t concede more realistically because David had two great saves as well and we have to be honest about that.

**Did you feel you sacrificed defensive solidity for attacking quality in the first hour?**

Yeah. Especially because they were more aggressive than in the first game which we expected. We didn’t understand well enough which sequences we had to put and which spaces we had to create so we ended up playing too close to David’s own goal and against them that’s a really bad game to play. We adjusted a few things and when Dec came on I think he gave us more dominance. Still the same threat. But we were much better.

**Are you hopeful that this could be a turning point for Jesus?**

It has to be. We have to push him and let him go and be behind him. He’s had some difficult moments and as a striker that’s not easy because you get a lot of spotlight. But credit to him as well because his work ethic, the way he came back in the summer he was a completely different player. Now he’s being rewarded. Sometimes it takes time.

**Is that the third time Saka has had that hamstring injury?**

I’m not sure if it’s exactly the same one. It’s in the same leg. He had the third minor injury - I don’t know how big this is going to be. But he already had two.

**You spoke about dominance against Everton and Fulham but had less control today. Is that a trade off you're happy to make?**

Control, I don’t really like that word. I like to be very dominant, very dominant in the right areas. I don’t like to concede anything which we haven’t done in the last four games. Today we conceded more - especially because we have given two big chances. It’s always the balance that we want and when you win everything is OK.

**How does that leave you feeling at the end of this game?**

I’m very happy because we won. We needed that win after the two draws. But in general overlooking 10 games, no defeats and in the last seven we’ve won five and drawn two, deserved to win all of them. So good.

**Kai moved up front last season but did you always think he could still be an asset up top?**

He can be. He can play in any of the two pockets especially with the way they play and what we expected, to have a player like him. We wanted to do something but it wasn’t going to work because of the way they set up so I had to change it. Overall I think he’s a player in many areas that fits really well what we want to do.

**How did you keep Jesus motivated?**

You have to prepare for your opportunity, that's it. If you fail to prepare then it's not going to happen. That's clear. You want it, you want it early and sometimes it's not going to happen and you don't see the rewards.

It's like going to the gym and looking in the mirror after one week or one month. Sometimes it needs more time and suddenly everybody is saying you look much better, you're looking healthier and now good things happen so I think it's a good example to understand what Gabi has done.

**Is this your best chance to win the league?**

At the moment we aren't there yet but they have a few games in hand. It's so difficult for every team to win in any competition. Anything can happen, we want to keep our noses right in there, we are competing every single game. We are still not even halfway through the season.

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